Well, I finished my alternative-to-an-xmas-card-mix-cd. It's a bit late though, so most people probably won't get it til after Christmas... Whoops. It's more of a "best discoveries of 2008" cd anyway, so I don't suppose that matters too much.
Anyway, without further ado, I present the final track listing... If you want a proper copy with a random cover let me know (I may already have one set aside for you anyway...).
1. Frank Turner - Photosynthesis
2. Biffy Clyro - Who's got a match
3. The Mountain Goats - Lion's teeth
4. The Decemberists - Yankee bayonet
5. Elbow - The bones of you
6. James Yuill - The ghost
7. Cloud Cult - Everybody here is a cloud
8. The Postal Service - Such great heights
9. Ryan Inglis - If I fall
10. Death Cab for Cutie - I will follow you into the dark
11. Alexi Murdoch - All my days
12. Menomena - Wet and rusting
13. Tunng - Woodcat
14. Sufjan Stevens - For the widows in paradise...
15. Caribou - Hello hammerheads
16. Broken Social Scene - Almost crimes
17. Feist - When I was a young girl
18. Elliot Smith - Waltz #2
19. Audioslave - Until we fall
20. Ben Harper - By my side
Monday, 22 December 2008
Monday, 15 December 2008
The curse of the cancelled TV show...
TV executives have no taste. Either that or I watch programs that have no commercial appeal, because the programs I like keep getting cancelled...
Case #1 - Firefly
Yes, the sci fi western may not have made any money, but it was so good! A wonderfully diverse and well cast group of characters, witty dialogue and a variety of entertaining storylines combined to bring a refreshing and different show. The most annoying thing was that the cancellation happened so early on - a lot of the early ground work for later storylines had been laid, but it was cancelled just as it was starting to get really interesting. Thank goodness for Serenity. Yes, it may not be a flawless film, but at least it answered some of the issues raised in the TV show, removing at least some of the frustration and leaving the door open for further films.
Case #2 - Arrested Development
I have to confess that I'm less upset over this one than some of the others. The story of the disfunctional Bluth family was very enjoyable and amusing and I think it was a shame that they cancelled it. However, at least it didn't leave any tantalising open storylines to nag at me (possibly due to the fact that they were aware of the impending end of the show)... There's been a lot of talk about bringing it back as a film, but I for one hope they don't to be honest - in my mind it's fairly done and dusted...
Case #3 - Veronica Mars
I knew when I started watching Veronica Mars that it got cancelled at the end of the third series, but decided to give it a go anyway. Murder mystery set in a high school? Hell yes! The first two series are brilliant - an intriguing overarching storyline stretching over the whole series, enjoyable episode based subplots, entertaining and amusing characters that develop beautifully over time... The third series is definately weaker, forgoing the series spanning storyline for some frankly baffling smaller storylines at times. The chemistry that is so intriguing between two of the main characters over the first two series gets pushed to one side, and the series ends in a pretty obscure and frustrating way. Again, there's been discussion about bringing the show back in a movie form, and while I'm not sure there's much new ground that can be covered, I'm definately pro this simply because of the ridiculous way that the third series ended...
Case #4 - Pushing Daisies
The story of the Pie Maker and his bring-back-the-dead-to-life abilities is entertaining, but I'm not too suprised it's not made it past a second season. Yes, I enjoy it and have seen all the episodes so far, but it's usually the bottom of my TV watching priority list. The problem with having the central two characters as nice people who are in love but can't touch each other is that there's not much you can do with it - in short, it's lacking a bit of disfunctionality from the central characters to make it a bit more... well... interesting. The episode length plots pass the time pleasantly enough, and there are a couple of longer length storylines, but nothing to really stretch interest much beyond the first series.
Case #5 - Eli Stone
Now this one I really am annoyed about. Mainly because I've only just discovered how awesome it is (thankyou Mr Walker). The story of a lawyer who begins having visions that are either caused by his inoperable brain tumour, or are messages from God. And by visions, I mean full on song and dance routines. With George Michael. The first series focuses on Eli's battle to cope with the effect the visions have on his life, while the second is less about Eli and more about the effect he has on those around him. The irritating thing about the cancellation of this show is not the fact that storylines probably won't be tied up, more that there is just so much potential in the show (similarly to Firefly) that is left unfulfilled... I'm not sure how many episodes are left to air, but this one I'm really going to miss...
Case #1 - Firefly
Yes, the sci fi western may not have made any money, but it was so good! A wonderfully diverse and well cast group of characters, witty dialogue and a variety of entertaining storylines combined to bring a refreshing and different show. The most annoying thing was that the cancellation happened so early on - a lot of the early ground work for later storylines had been laid, but it was cancelled just as it was starting to get really interesting. Thank goodness for Serenity. Yes, it may not be a flawless film, but at least it answered some of the issues raised in the TV show, removing at least some of the frustration and leaving the door open for further films.
Case #2 - Arrested Development
I have to confess that I'm less upset over this one than some of the others. The story of the disfunctional Bluth family was very enjoyable and amusing and I think it was a shame that they cancelled it. However, at least it didn't leave any tantalising open storylines to nag at me (possibly due to the fact that they were aware of the impending end of the show)... There's been a lot of talk about bringing it back as a film, but I for one hope they don't to be honest - in my mind it's fairly done and dusted...
Case #3 - Veronica Mars
I knew when I started watching Veronica Mars that it got cancelled at the end of the third series, but decided to give it a go anyway. Murder mystery set in a high school? Hell yes! The first two series are brilliant - an intriguing overarching storyline stretching over the whole series, enjoyable episode based subplots, entertaining and amusing characters that develop beautifully over time... The third series is definately weaker, forgoing the series spanning storyline for some frankly baffling smaller storylines at times. The chemistry that is so intriguing between two of the main characters over the first two series gets pushed to one side, and the series ends in a pretty obscure and frustrating way. Again, there's been discussion about bringing the show back in a movie form, and while I'm not sure there's much new ground that can be covered, I'm definately pro this simply because of the ridiculous way that the third series ended...
Case #4 - Pushing Daisies
The story of the Pie Maker and his bring-back-the-dead-to-life abilities is entertaining, but I'm not too suprised it's not made it past a second season. Yes, I enjoy it and have seen all the episodes so far, but it's usually the bottom of my TV watching priority list. The problem with having the central two characters as nice people who are in love but can't touch each other is that there's not much you can do with it - in short, it's lacking a bit of disfunctionality from the central characters to make it a bit more... well... interesting. The episode length plots pass the time pleasantly enough, and there are a couple of longer length storylines, but nothing to really stretch interest much beyond the first series.
Case #5 - Eli Stone
Now this one I really am annoyed about. Mainly because I've only just discovered how awesome it is (thankyou Mr Walker). The story of a lawyer who begins having visions that are either caused by his inoperable brain tumour, or are messages from God. And by visions, I mean full on song and dance routines. With George Michael. The first series focuses on Eli's battle to cope with the effect the visions have on his life, while the second is less about Eli and more about the effect he has on those around him. The irritating thing about the cancellation of this show is not the fact that storylines probably won't be tied up, more that there is just so much potential in the show (similarly to Firefly) that is left unfulfilled... I'm not sure how many episodes are left to air, but this one I'm really going to miss...
#51 - Creative cocktail making...
So I've been a bit quiet over the last 2 or so weeks - I've been battling some kind of annoying unpredictable lurgy. It keeps coming and going - just when I think it's gone after several days of feeling fine, I wake up feeling like death again. Hrumph.
Fortunately it decided to behave itself on Friday - however I think this is the first time I've organised an event that enables me to complete an item on my list of things to do before I die completely unintentionally. My sister and I decided to have a small flat warming to celebrate our mold free residence. After much contemplation we decided to make it a cocktail party. However, it wasn't until a few days before the party that I remembered that #51 on the list was "invent a cocktail". Awesome.
Grace and I threw ourselves into this challenge with gusto and a complete lack of fear. The first attempt was a daring mix of amaretto, malibu, rum, orange juice and lime. Named a sleazy hawaiian, it was pretty good. But we didn't stop there. Next was a spin on a springbok (baileys and creme de menthe) made with chocolate cream instead of the baileys. This was followed by a martian sunset (like a tequila sunrise but with rum instead of whatever you normally but in with the tequila). However, I refined my choice down to a simple combination by the end of the night - amaretto, orange juice and a reaaaaaally generous amount of lime (1/4 - 1/2 a lime). I hereby name this tasty combination a "number 51". Mmmmmmmmmmm. A very enjoyable way to complete an item on the list....
Fortunately it decided to behave itself on Friday - however I think this is the first time I've organised an event that enables me to complete an item on my list of things to do before I die completely unintentionally. My sister and I decided to have a small flat warming to celebrate our mold free residence. After much contemplation we decided to make it a cocktail party. However, it wasn't until a few days before the party that I remembered that #51 on the list was "invent a cocktail". Awesome.
Grace and I threw ourselves into this challenge with gusto and a complete lack of fear. The first attempt was a daring mix of amaretto, malibu, rum, orange juice and lime. Named a sleazy hawaiian, it was pretty good. But we didn't stop there. Next was a spin on a springbok (baileys and creme de menthe) made with chocolate cream instead of the baileys. This was followed by a martian sunset (like a tequila sunrise but with rum instead of whatever you normally but in with the tequila). However, I refined my choice down to a simple combination by the end of the night - amaretto, orange juice and a reaaaaaally generous amount of lime (1/4 - 1/2 a lime). I hereby name this tasty combination a "number 51". Mmmmmmmmmmm. A very enjoyable way to complete an item on the list....
Thursday, 4 December 2008
Thursday joy : black cab sessions
I discovered Black Cab Sessions today. Complete genius.
Enjoy Emmy the Great - I love this song...
Enjoy Emmy the Great - I love this song...
Thoughts about music...
It's December. Which means it's approaching the time of year when I acknowledge that Christmas is not too far off (as opposed to the middle of September when supermarkets and shops start shoving it down your throat)... Therefore it's time to start drawing up the playlist for my (now) annual Christmas mix cd. Fear not - it's not a cd of Christmas songs (no no no no!), instead it's a mix cd of all the good music I've discovered over the last year... It doesn't have to be a new artist - just one that's new to me. This is a new tradition that I only started last year, mainly cos I'm not a Christmas card person, and I don't tend to give presents to friends at Christmas - so it seemed like a good alternative. Plus I love mix cds so it was lots of fun to put together and do the cover for...
So I've got a list of artists, and a short list of tracks for most of them. Now I just need to narrow it down and get the ordering right...
Out of interest, I've been listening to last years cd to see how much my tastes have changed/developed... here's the listing from last year:
1) Hundred Reasons - I'll find you
2) Mutemath - Noticed
3) Reel Big Fish - What are friends for
4) Five Iron Frenzy - Dandelions
5) Gorky's Zygotic Mynci - Fresher than the sweetness in water
6) Eels - Last stop: this town
7) Dave Matthews Band - Crush
8) Incubus - Drive
9) Newton Faulkner - All I got
10) Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova - When your minds made up
11) Show of Hands - Suntrap
12) Nick Drake - One of these things first
13) The Wraiths - Silent Grove
14) Mono - A thousand paper cranes
15) Portishead - Glory box
16) Rose Kemp - Morning music
17) Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan - Deus ibi est
18) Regina Spektor - Hotel Song
19) Bizali - Shiny Things
20) [spunge] - Roots
The first thing that struck me is that I haven't listened to a lot of it in a while... Some of the stuff I still love (Hundred Reasons, Mutemath, Incubus and Dave Matthews Band continue to bring me a lot of joy), some I love even more (Nick Drake), some I still going to see when possible (Bizali), some I revisit from time to time (Portishead, Regina Spektor) but a lot of them just aren't part of my regular listening any longer.
It's partly a change of taste - I've seem to have definately moved away from ska music in a bit way. But I guess a lot of it is just that I've found things I like more - why listen to Show of Hands when I can listen to The Mountain Goats? Nothing against Show of Hands - I just prefer The Mountain Goats...
I'm not going to give too much away about this years cd - partly cos I haven't picked everything yet. But there's a definite move towards folk rock/modern folk and electro indie in my taste... It's probably a result of further exploration on my part, but also coming into contact with people with a different music taste to mine...
Hmmmmmmm.
So I've got a list of artists, and a short list of tracks for most of them. Now I just need to narrow it down and get the ordering right...
Out of interest, I've been listening to last years cd to see how much my tastes have changed/developed... here's the listing from last year:
1) Hundred Reasons - I'll find you
2) Mutemath - Noticed
3) Reel Big Fish - What are friends for
4) Five Iron Frenzy - Dandelions
5) Gorky's Zygotic Mynci - Fresher than the sweetness in water
6) Eels - Last stop: this town
7) Dave Matthews Band - Crush
8) Incubus - Drive
9) Newton Faulkner - All I got
10) Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova - When your minds made up
11) Show of Hands - Suntrap
12) Nick Drake - One of these things first
13) The Wraiths - Silent Grove
14) Mono - A thousand paper cranes
15) Portishead - Glory box
16) Rose Kemp - Morning music
17) Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan - Deus ibi est
18) Regina Spektor - Hotel Song
19) Bizali - Shiny Things
20) [spunge] - Roots
The first thing that struck me is that I haven't listened to a lot of it in a while... Some of the stuff I still love (Hundred Reasons, Mutemath, Incubus and Dave Matthews Band continue to bring me a lot of joy), some I love even more (Nick Drake), some I still going to see when possible (Bizali), some I revisit from time to time (Portishead, Regina Spektor) but a lot of them just aren't part of my regular listening any longer.
It's partly a change of taste - I've seem to have definately moved away from ska music in a bit way. But I guess a lot of it is just that I've found things I like more - why listen to Show of Hands when I can listen to The Mountain Goats? Nothing against Show of Hands - I just prefer The Mountain Goats...
I'm not going to give too much away about this years cd - partly cos I haven't picked everything yet. But there's a definite move towards folk rock/modern folk and electro indie in my taste... It's probably a result of further exploration on my part, but also coming into contact with people with a different music taste to mine...
Hmmmmmmm.
Tuesday, 2 December 2008
25 years, 10 months, 7 days and 8 hours.
This is how old I am.
I wrote a big old long self analytical post after eating too much chocolate (especially given that I don't eat many sweet things) caused me to get a little hyperactive in the pub and kicked my brain into a weird overdrive on the drive home. But then I deleted it because it was all a bit nonsensical and waffley really. I feel better now.
In summary:
I am me.
I sometimes get frustrated by myself.
Life has many possibilities in it.
But there we go.
I wrote a big old long self analytical post after eating too much chocolate (especially given that I don't eat many sweet things) caused me to get a little hyperactive in the pub and kicked my brain into a weird overdrive on the drive home. But then I deleted it because it was all a bit nonsensical and waffley really. I feel better now.
In summary:
I am me.
I sometimes get frustrated by myself.
Life has many possibilities in it.
But there we go.
Strange girl...
I had a realisation yesterday - I'm a little bit strange. Now, I've been aware of my minor oddities for a while. However, my unconventional response to illness over the past few days took this to a whole different level. Sunday I was pretty ill - so I had the predictable "curl up in bed and do very little" response. So far so normal. After 12 hours sleep on Sunday night I felt significantly better, but not quite up to going into work, so took the day off.
Exhibit A : After discovering a completely empty fridge, my first mission was to acquire some food. So off I trundled to the shops. Now, when ill, you crave comfort foods right? I don't know what this is for most people - maybe chocolate, biscuits, toast... I came back with red kiwi fruit and sharon fruit. Yes. Exotic fruit. I actually got quite excited in the fruit and veg shop about the red kiwi fruit (new foods tend to have that effect on me). They were indeed red (well, a bit anyway) and tasted much like normal kiwis except without the hairy skin (which is a bonus for odd souls like me who eat the skins). Sharon fruit is one of my favourite foods, but it's only possible to get ripe and affordable ones for a short portion of the year - they should be soft to the touch when ripe, not hard as nails like they're usually sold in supermarkets. I returned with 4 perfect specimens much to my delight.
Exhibit B : I also returned from my shopping trip with some veg to make soup with. This is not an unusual thing to do. However, once I'd finished making soup, my cookery cravings were not satisfied. So I made some houmous. Mmmmmm. Since making home made houmous for the first time a few months ago, I can't go back to store bought stuff (at least not supermarket varieties) - I indulged my experimental side this time with some sundried tomatoes, pimento peppers and smoked paprika. A resoundingly successful combination. However, this still didn't satisfy the cooking urge. So I made Coq au Vin in the slow cooker for dinner with my sister (first use of the slow cooker - I'm converted!). I bought the bread to go with it, but in all fairness this was only because I'd run out of yeast...
(Before anyone states that I can't have been that ill if I managed to cook all the aforementioned stuff, I would like to point out that there were an abundance of sitting down breaks and tea drinking to recover from the dizzy spells).
The verdict - when ill, I crave exotic fruit and cook bizarre food. I don't think this is normal. To balance this out, I did try to watch some crummy tv (made trickier by the whole "not having a tv" thing) so I had to settle for getting addicted to Veronica Mars and watching back to back episodes of that instead... (Sorry Helen, The West Wing was just too heavy going for my poorly brain!).
All better and back to work today though...
Exhibit A : After discovering a completely empty fridge, my first mission was to acquire some food. So off I trundled to the shops. Now, when ill, you crave comfort foods right? I don't know what this is for most people - maybe chocolate, biscuits, toast... I came back with red kiwi fruit and sharon fruit. Yes. Exotic fruit. I actually got quite excited in the fruit and veg shop about the red kiwi fruit (new foods tend to have that effect on me). They were indeed red (well, a bit anyway) and tasted much like normal kiwis except without the hairy skin (which is a bonus for odd souls like me who eat the skins). Sharon fruit is one of my favourite foods, but it's only possible to get ripe and affordable ones for a short portion of the year - they should be soft to the touch when ripe, not hard as nails like they're usually sold in supermarkets. I returned with 4 perfect specimens much to my delight.
Exhibit B : I also returned from my shopping trip with some veg to make soup with. This is not an unusual thing to do. However, once I'd finished making soup, my cookery cravings were not satisfied. So I made some houmous. Mmmmmm. Since making home made houmous for the first time a few months ago, I can't go back to store bought stuff (at least not supermarket varieties) - I indulged my experimental side this time with some sundried tomatoes, pimento peppers and smoked paprika. A resoundingly successful combination. However, this still didn't satisfy the cooking urge. So I made Coq au Vin in the slow cooker for dinner with my sister (first use of the slow cooker - I'm converted!). I bought the bread to go with it, but in all fairness this was only because I'd run out of yeast...
(Before anyone states that I can't have been that ill if I managed to cook all the aforementioned stuff, I would like to point out that there were an abundance of sitting down breaks and tea drinking to recover from the dizzy spells).
The verdict - when ill, I crave exotic fruit and cook bizarre food. I don't think this is normal. To balance this out, I did try to watch some crummy tv (made trickier by the whole "not having a tv" thing) so I had to settle for getting addicted to Veronica Mars and watching back to back episodes of that instead... (Sorry Helen, The West Wing was just too heavy going for my poorly brain!).
All better and back to work today though...
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